This arthouse drama could have used less concept and more focused storytelling.
Last Life in the Universe (2004)
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Reviews Counted:40
Fresh:36
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.4/10
Theatrical Release:Aug 6, 2004 Limited
Synopsis: A magic-realist romance about the culture bridges we build - sometimes wish we could jump off of Last Life in the Universe brings together three of the most exciting talents in current world... A magic-realist romance about the culture bridges we build - sometimes wish we could jump off of Last Life in the Universe brings together three of the most exciting talents in current world cinema: director Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Japanese superstar Asano Tadanobu, and Hong Kong-based cinematographer Christopher Doyle. Under the guidance of this much-celebrated triumvirate, refugee elements of Japanese yakuza films, an unpredictable succession of lush and intoxicating images, and a host of eccentric narrative tics from the cutting edge of Thai cinema converge to tell the story of the mysterious Kenji, a lonely, obsessive-compulsive Japanese librarian's assistant and occasional suicide hobbyist quietly living - and hoping to die - in Bangkok. Hiding from an unknown past, the Mishima-identified and moppishly-coiffed Kenji seems determined on a premature rendezvous with oblivion: when first we meet him, he's already swinging by the neck from a makeshift noose. (Or is he?) If only Nid, the beautiful Thai woman Kenji spies between the shelves one day, hadn't managed to die first. And if only Nid's acid-tongued sister, Noi - who inadvertently begins seducing the suicidal loner back into the chaos of life - weren't leaving for Osaka on the Monday morning plane... -- © Palm Pictures [More]
Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Sinitta Boonyasak, Laila Boonyasak, Matsushige Yutaka
Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Sinitta Boonyasak, Laila Boonyasak, Matsushige Yutaka, Takeuchi Riki
Director: Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Director: Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Screenwriter: Prabda Yoon, Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Producer: Nonzee Nimibutr, Duangkamol Limcharoen
Composer: Small Room, Hualampong Riddim
Studio: Palm Pictures
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Reviews for Last Life in the Universe
It's an unsuccessful experiment in combining genres that are as irreconcilable as oil and water.
[Reflects] the growing interpenetration of many individual national cinemas into a cultural conglomerate that reflects the irresistible tide of cinematic globalization.
This trip-hoppy tone poem left me feeling like I'd never seen a movie before.
The closest thing to entering a dream state at the movies right now is watching Last Life in the Universe.
Moody, atmospheric, and bewitching, like other first-rate examples of modern Thai cinema.
a deeply intriguing and contemplative two-person character study that offers many small rewards along the way
Last Life in the Universe isn’t so much weightless as it is liable to inspire weightlessness.
The mildly surreal drama doesn't always make sense, but it sure does look great.
Asano Tadanobu and Sinitta Boonyasak are a total thrill to watch, so much so that you want to jump through the screen and give them a big old hug.
The film has a precise, slow pace that allows us to get to know these quiet, quirky characters, and an imaginatively experimental approach to their thoughts and dreams.
It may sound like a conventional tale, but this is full of magical surprises that occasionally ruffle its otherwise serene surface.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
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| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
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